Image data processing system

ABSTRACT

In a system having a server and a client apparatus, the client apparatus edits image data by using a representative image of the image data stored in the server, generates play list data indicating the order of reproducing the image data, in accordance with the editing results, and the server stores the image data sent from the client apparatus, reproduces the stored image data in accordance with the play list data sent from the client, and transmits the reproduced image data to the server.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image data processing system, andmore particularly to a system for processing image data via atransmission path such as a network.

2. Related Background Art

In a conventional image data editing process, image data is generallystored in a local area of an editing apparatus to be processed. Forexample, in the image editing process by a personal computer (PC), imagedata stored in a hard disk of PC is generally processed.

Similar image processing is performed not only by a general apparatussuch as PC but also by an image photographing apparatus such as adigital camera, a digital video camera and the like. For example, whenimage editing is performed with a digital camera having an image editingfunction, image data stored in a recording medium of the digital camerais processed.

As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-51241,image data is uploaded to a server on a network to manage it, while theimage data is not managed in a local recording area.

It is very serious to edit moving images with an apparatus having arelatively low processing ability such as a digital camera. Therefore,the image editing by the digital camera is limited to a simple processso that it is difficult to realize complicated image editing from theviewpoint of performance and cost.

As described in the above-cited Japanese Patent Application Laid-openNo. 2002-51241, if photographed image data uploaded to the server ismanaged and when the image data at the server is required to be edited,it is necessary to download the image data once into a local recordingarea before editing it. The downloaded image data is thereafter edited,and it is therefore necessary to upload the edited image data back tothe server. Even if the image data at the server is required only to belooked at, it is basically necessary to download an image file.

Moving image data in particular cannot be reproduced until it iscompletely downloaded.

An image recording system has been proposed recently in which a wirelessnetwork function is added to a digital camera and photographed imagedata is automatically transmitted to the server without storing it inthe digital camera.

In such a system, since image data is not left stored on a recordingmedium of the digital camera, it is very difficult to edit image data byusing the digital camera.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems.

It is another object of the present invention to realize an editingprocess using complicated imaging effects even for an apparatus havingno highly sophisticated image processing ability such as a digitalcamera.

In order to achieve the above objects, according to an aspect of thepresent invention, an image processing system of the present invention,for processing image data between a server and a client apparatus, isarranged so that the client apparatus comprises: communicationprocessing means for transmitting the image data to the server via atransmission path to make the image data be stored in the server andreceiving the image data from the server; and control means forgenerating play list data representative of an order of reproducing theimage data, by using representative image data representative of anrepresentative image of the image data, and transmitting the play listdata to the server via the communication processing means, and theserver comprises a transceiver unit for receiving the image data and theplay list data transmitted from the client apparatus, a generation unitfor generating the representative image data representative of therepresentative image of the received image data and a storage unit forstoring the received image data and the representative image data,wherein in response to an instruction from the client apparatus, theserver transmits the generated representative image data to the clientapparatus, reproduces the image data stored in the storage unit inaccordance with the received play list data, and transmits thereproduced image data to the client apparatus.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of embodiments taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of an imagephotographing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system to which thepresent invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating communication between an imageprocessing apparatus and a server.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are diagrams illustrating editing windows.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a server.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings.

In one embodiment, an image photographing apparatus having acommunication means for communication with a wireless base station as ameans for establishing communication between a server and the imagephotographing apparatus will be described. The image photographingapparatus itself may not have a communication means, but a portableterminal capable of communicating with a wireless base station isconnected to the image photographing apparatus to communicate with thewireless base station. In this embodiment, although the wireless basestation for portable terminals is used, other wireless technologies mayalso be used. For example, wireless local area networks (LAN), Bluetoothor the like may also be used.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the outline of the whole image processingsystem to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 2, the system of this embodiment is constituted of animage photographing apparatus 210, a wireless base station 220, theInternet 230 and a server 240. The image photographing apparatus 210 andwireless base station 220 are interconnected through radiocommunication. The wireless base station 220 and server 240 areinterconnected by a data communication network 230 such as the Internet.

A data communication process using a portable terminal will be describedbriefly.

A portable terminal frequently communicates with a nearby wireless basestation even if it is not in a speech mode. During this communication,an identification signal of the portable terminal is transmitted to thewireless base station. In this manner, it is possible to obtaincorresponding between a plurality of distributed wireless base stationsand a plurality of portable terminals, and this correspondenceinformation is registered in a managing station which manages all thewireless base stations. With this configuration, for example, when aportable terminal is to be called from another portable terminal, themanaging station searches a nearby wireless base station in accordancewith the identification signal of the other portable terminal andconnects a line to the searched wireless base station to allow speech.Since each portable terminal is related to the nearby wireless basestation, the position of the portable terminal can be known from theposition of the wireless base station. The portable terminal ispresently used not only for speech but also various informationcommunications.

The image photographing apparatus 210 of this embodiment has a built-inportable terminal, and can transmit and receive various types of data byusing the wireless base stations for portable terminals.

With this configuration, when the image photographing apparatus 210photographs an image, the image data is transmitted to the server 240.

If the image data cannot be transmitted when the image is photographed,the photographed image data is once stored in a recording medium mountedon the image photographing apparatus 210, and when the image datatransmission enable state is recovered, the image data is transmitted tothe server 240. Thereafter, the image photographing apparatus 210deletes the image data already transmitted from the recording medium.

When the server 240 receives the image data from the image photographingapparatus 210, the server 240 generates thumbnail image datarepresentative of the received image data, and stores the image data andthumbnail data in one-to-one correspondence in a storage unit built-inthe server.

When the image is to be edited by the image photographing apparatus 210,all the thumbnail image data stored in the server 240 is downloaded anda list of thumbnail images is displayed and shown to a user.

By referring to the displayed thumbnail image list, the user performsplay list editing by setting a reproduction order of a plurality ofimages, the display effects at the time of reproduction and the like.Play list data is the data describing the reproduction order of imagedata and is generated by using metadata added to the thumbnail image orthe like. The format of the play list may be a general one such asSynchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) or may be a specialformat.

In response to the completion of play list editing, the generated playlist data is transmitted from the image photographing apparatus 210 tothe server 240 which stores it. After the play list data is stored inthe server 240, the play list data is displayed in the thumbnail list,similar to other image data stored in the server.

After the image photographing apparatus 210 selects the thumbnail imagefrom the displayed thumbnail list for reproduction purposes, the imagephotographing apparatus 210 transmits a reproduction instruction of theimage data corresponding to the selected thumbnail image to the server240, and the server 240 reproduces the selected image data and transmitsit to the image photographing apparatus 210.

When the image photographing apparatus 210 instructs the reproduction ofplay list data, it transmits a start instruction of reproductionfollowing the play list to the server 240. In accordance with thecontents of the play list data, the server 240 reproduces the image datastored in the storage unit and transmits it to the image photographingapparatus 210 to allow the image photographing apparatus to reproduceand display the image data matching the play list.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a photographing and editing processto be executed between the image photographing apparatus 210 and server240. This flow chart pays attention to the data exchange between theimage photographing apparatus 210 and server 240 so that communicationmeans and the like are shown omitted.

First, after an image is photographed with the image photographingapparatus 210, the photographed image data is transmitted to the server240. This process is Step S301.

Upon reception of the image data, the server 240 stores the receivedimage data along with the additional information such as its file name(identification information), generates thumbnail image data of thereceived image data, and stores it with reference to the receivedoriginal image data. In this case, if the original image data is data ofa still image, the still image is subjected to a reduction process togenerate the thumbnail image data, whereas if the original image data isdata of a moving image, image data of the start frame is subjected to areduction process to generate the thumbnail image data. Metadata such asa file name (identification information) of the original image data fromwhich the thumbnail image data was generated, a moving image recordingtime and image size information is added to the thumbnail image data andstored. These processes are Steps S302 and S303.

Steps S301 to S303 are the processes to be executed each time thephotographing apparatus 210 photographs an image.

Next, in order to edit an image photographed with the imagephotographing apparatus 210, a user sets an editing mode of the imagephotographing apparatus. Upon instruction of the editing mode, the imagephotographing apparatus 210 sends a thumbnail image acquisition requestto the server 240 in order to display the thumbnail image list of imagesphotographed with the image photographing apparatus 210. This process isStep S304.

Upon reception of the thumbnail image acquisition request, the server240 sends the thumbnail image data of all image data stored and thethumbnail image data of the play list data to the image photographingapparatus 210. This process is Step S305. At this time, additionalinformation of each thumbnail image data is also transmitted.

Upon reception of the thumbnail image data, the image photographingapparatus 210 displays the thumbnail image list. This process is StepS306.

By referring to the displayed thumbnail images, a user edits the image.The image editing results are stored in the image photographingapparatus 210 as play list data. Particular examples of the screenlayout and an operation method for image editing will be laterdescribed.

When the image editing operation is completed, the image photographingapparatus 210 transmits the play list data as the editing results to theserver 240. This process is Step S307.

Upon reception of the play list data, the server 240 stores the playlist data along with the additional information such as identificationinformation in the built-in storage unit, and generates the thumbnailimage data of the play list data. Specifically, the contents of thereceived play list data are checked, and one frame of image datadesignated as the first of the reproduction order is used as thethumbnail image data. These processes are Steps S308 and S309.

In case that the image data and the play list as the editing resultsstored in the server are to be reproduced after the image photographingapparatus 210 transmits the play list data to the server 240, the imagephotographing apparatus 210 sends the thumbnail image acquisitionrequest to the server 240. This process is Step S310.

Upon reception of the thumbnail image acquisition request, the server240 sends the thumbnail image data of all image data and play list datastored in the server 240 to the image photographing apparatus 210. Thisprocess is Step S311.

Upon reception of the thumbnail image data, the image photographingapparatus 210 displays the thumbnail image list. This process is StepS312.

After the image photographing apparatus 210 selects a desired thumbnailimage from the displayed thumbnail list for reproduction purposes, theimage photographing apparatus 210 sends to the server 240 a reproductioncommand and the identification information of the original image datacorresponding to the designated thumbnail image or the identificationinformation of the play list data. This process is Step S313.

Upon reception of the reproduction command and identificationinformation of the image data, the server 240 selects the designateddata from a number of stored image data files and stored play list datafiles, in accordance with the identification information, and reproducesthe image data in accordance with the reproduction command. For example,if the thumbnail image of image data is designated, image datacorresponding to the designated thumbnail image is reproduced.

If the thumbnail image of a play list is designated, the serverreproduces the play list data corresponding to the identificationinformation of the play list data corresponding to the designatedthumbnail image. The contents of the play list data are checked and thestored image data is reproduced in accordance with the proceduredesignated in the play list. This process is Step S314.

After the image data corresponding to the designated thumbnail image isreproduced, the server 240 transmits it to the image photographingapparatus 210. This process is Step S315.

Upon reception of the image data transmitted from the server 240, theimage photographing apparatus 210 displays the image data. This processis Step S316.

By executing the above-described processes, it is possible to edit andreproduce photographed images even if the image data is not stored inthe image photographing apparatus 210. Since the actual reproductionprocess is performed by the server in accordance with the image editingresults, the image photographing apparatus is not required to have ahigh image processing ability, for example, even in case that asophisticated effect process is to be performed.

Further, since the editing results are stored in the server 240 as theplay list data, even another portable terminal different from the imagephotographing apparatus 210 can confirm the editing results of the imagedata stored in the server 240, by connecting to the server 240 via thenetwork 220, downloading the thumbnail image of the play list asdescribed with reference to FIG. 3, and thereafter instructing thereproduction of the play list.

Therefore, for example, in case that the editing results of photographedimages at an event such as a wedding ceremony are to be publicized toother users, the reproduced images of the similar editing results can beacquired independently from the ability of portable terminals possessedby other users.

Next, the internal structure and operation of the image photographingapparatus 210 will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing thestructure of the image photographing apparatus 210.

In FIG. 1, an image pickup unit 101 converts an optical image of anobject into an electrical signal, performs various necessary processesand outputs the results. An encoder 102 compression-encodes the imagedata supplied from the image pickup unit 101, by using the MPEG schemeor the like. A recording and reproducing unit 103 records and reproducesencoded image data onto and from a recording medium M. In thisembodiment, the recording medium is a random accessible recording mediumsuch as a disc medium and a memory card.

A decoder 104 decodes the image data reproduced by the recording andreproducing unit 103 or image data received by a communicationprocessing unit 109, and expands the information amount of the decodedimage data. A display unit 105 displays an image of the image datasupplied from the image pickup unit 101, decoder 104 and a displaypicture generation unit 106, in accordance with an instruction from asystem controller 107. The system controller 107 controls the operationof each unit in accordance with an instruction from an operation unit108, and generates the play list data as will be described later, thesystem controller having a microcomputer. The operation unit 108 is madeof an operation panel, a remote controller and the like. Thecommunication processing unit 109 transmits and receives image andvarious commands via a transmission path. In this embodiment,communications are performed mainly with the server 240 shown in FIG. 2.

The image pickup unit 101 converts an optical image of an object into anelectrical signal, converts the electrical signal into a digital signal,performs various necessary processes on the digital signal, and suppliesthe results to the encoder 102 and display unit 105. Upon reception of arecord instruction command from the system controller 107, the encoder102 encodes the digital image data, compresses its data amount, andtransmits the encoded image data to the communication processing unit109. However, in the state that data cannot be transmitted or in thestate that the image data transmission process is delayed, the encoderoutputs the encoded image data to the recording and reproducing unit 103to once store it in the recording medium M. If the transmission enablestate is recovered thereafter, the system controller 107 controls therecording and reproducing unit 103 to read the image data stored in therecording medium M and transmit it to the communication processing unit109 and to the server 240. In this embodiment, the encoder 102compresses the still image data by the JPEG scheme and the moving imagedata by the MPEG scheme.

The communication processing unit 109 communicates with a wireless basestation to transfer and receive data to and from the wireless basestation. For example, if image data is received from the encoder 102 orrecording and reproducing unit 103, the image data is transmitted,whereas if the data transmission command is received from the systemcontroller 107, the data corresponding to the command is transmitted.

If data such as a command is received from the wireless base station,the communication processing unit 109 transmits the received data to thesystem controller 107, whereas if the image data is received, it isoutput to the decoder 104.

A user manipulates the operation unit 108 to instruct a record start anda record stop, edit in accordance with the play list, and the like. Theoperation unit 108 sends an operation instruction command to the systemcontroller 107 in accordance with the user operation.

The system controller 107 controls the operation of the whole apparatus,and receives an instruction from the operation unit 108 to control theencoder 102, communication processing unit 109 and the like. Byexecuting a play list editing program, play list data is generated andupdated.

The decoder 104 receives the image data from the communicationprocessing unit 109, decodes the received image data, and outputs it tothe display unit 105 and display picture generating unit 106.

In response to a command from the system controller 108, the displaypicture generating unit 106 generates various pictures to be displayedon the display unit 105 and outputs them to the display unit 105.

The system controller 107 switches between the image data to bedisplayed on the display unit 105 in accordance with an instruction fromthe operation unit 108. Specifically, an image supplied from the imagepickup unit 101 during photographing is displayed, an image suppliedfrom the decoder 104 or display picture generating unit 106 duringreproduction is displayed, and an image supplied from the displaypicture generating unit 106 during play list editing is displayed.

With reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, description will be made on theprocesses of the play list editing program to be executed by the systemcontroller 107 during editing, on display windows during the process andon a user operation procedure.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C show examples of a window displayed on the displayunit 105 in the editing mode of the image photographing apparatus 210.As described previously, when the editing mode is instructed by theoperation unit 108, a thumbnail image transmission request is sent tothe server 240 and the thumbnail image data of the stored image data isreceived. The received thumbnail image data is stored in a not-shownmemory in the communication processing unit 109. Thumbnail list windowsshown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are generated by the display picturegenerating unit 106 in accordance with the image data received from theserver 240 via the communication processing unit 109.

As shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, not only the image list can bedisplayed, but also a transition list and an effect list which can beused during image editing can also be displayed. Switching between theselists can be conducted by using a tab. Switching between tabs anddepression of a button are conducted by using a touch panel. Obviously,buttons on the image photographing apparatus itself or other means camalso be used.

In addition to the list display, a story board is displayed under thelist display. The story board is widely used in general for imageediting, the contents of the story board corresponding to the contentsof the play list. The story board indicates the order of reproducing theregistered images from the left to right.

The display screen of the story board is constituted of image areaswhere images are registered and transition areas where transitions areset. The transition area is displayed with various icons for setting thetransition corresponding to the screen switching effect, and positionedbetween adjacent image areas.

Displayed in FIG. 4A is a thumbnail image list of image data. All thethumbnail images are displayed for the image data transmitted from theimage photographing apparatus 210 and stored in the server 240. When auser selects one of these thumbnail images by using the touch panel, theselected thumbnail image is surrounded by a bold frame indicating aselect state. In this select state, when an “ADD” button lower thanunder the list display is depressed, the thumbnail image in the selectstate is added to the image area of the story board. By repeating theseprocesses, a plurality of thumbnail images can be added to the storyboard. A change in the order of images in the story board is performedby a drag-and-drop operation or the like.

When a “REPRODUCE” button is depressed in the state that the thumbnailimage is selected, the system controller 107 instructs the communicationprocessing unit 109 to transmit a reproduction command to the server 240so that the server 240 transmits the image data corresponding to thedesignated thumbnail image. After the image data is transmitted from theserver 240, the system controller 107 controls the display unit 105 todisplay the image output from the decoder 104 in place of the editingwindow shown in FIG. 4A, 4B or 4C.

By depressing the tab, an effect list window and a transition listwindow can be selected which can be used during editing.

For example, if the transition list is to be displayed, a tab“TRANSITION” is depressed. In this manner, the transition list capableof being used during editing is displayed. FIG. 4B shows the windowdisplaying the transition list.

If the transition is to be added to the story board, first thetransition area to be added is selected, and thereafter the transitionis selected from the transition list. When the “ADD” button is depressedthereafter, the transaction can be added to the transaction area of thestory board.

By depressing the tab, the effect list capable of being used duringediting can be displayed. When the effect list is to be displayed, a tab“EFFECT” is depressed so that the effect list capable of being usedduring editing is displayed. FIG. 4C shows the window displaying theeffect list.

When the effect is to be added to the image, first an image to be addedwith the effect is selected from the images added to the story board,and thereafter an effect is selected from the effect list. Thereafter,the “ADD” button is depressed so that the image selected in the storyboard can be added with the effect. In order to clearly indicate thatthe effect is added to the image added in the story board, the effect isadded with the thumbnail image. For example, if a monochromatic effectis added, the display picture generating unit 106 monochromaticallydisplays the thumbnail image to be displayed in the story board. Anadded effect may be indicated to the user by other methods.

By repeating the above-described processes, the user performs imageediting by using the story board. When the image editing work is to beterminated, a user depresses a “SAVE” button to store the editingresults. When the “SAVE” button is depressed, the system controller 107generates a play list for reproducing the image data in accordance withthe procedure matching the contents of the story board. This play listdata is transferred to the server 240 via the communication processingunit 109. The server 240 stores the received play list data in a file.

Next, the structure of the server 240 will be described.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of the server 240. Acommunication processing unit 501 transmits and receives image data,various commands and the like via a transmission path. A storage 502stores image data, play list data and the like. A controller 503transfers data to and from each unit via a bus 506. A codec 504 encodesimage data stored in the storage unit 502 and decodes the image data tobe processed by an image processing unit 505. The image processing unit505 performs a process corresponding to each of various processesdesignated by the play list.

As described earlier, the communication processing unit 501 transmitsand receives mainly data to and from the image photographing apparatus210. For example, when the photographed image data is transmitted, thiseffect is notified to the controller 503 and the image data is stored inthe storage unit 502. The controller 503 stores the received image dataalong with the additional information such as identification informationof the received image data, in the storage unit 502. The controller 503controls the image processing unit 505 to generate the thumbnail imageby using the received image data, and the generated thumbnail image datais also stored in the storage unit 502 together with the original imagedata and additional information. Upon reception of a reproductioncommand requesting the thumbnail image data and play list data from theimage photographing apparatus 210, the communication processing unit 501notifies this effect to the controller 503. In accordance with thiscommand, the controller 503 reads the designated image data or play listdata from the storage 502. The read image data is transmitted to theimage photographing apparatus 210 via the communication processing unit501.

If the play list data is designated, the contents of the read play listdata are checked and if the special effect such as transaction andeffect is designated, the image data designated by the play list is readfrom the storage unit 502 and decoded by the codec 504, and thedesignated special effect process is performed at the image processingunit 505. After the codec 504 again encodes the image data, the encodedimage data is transmitted to the image photographing apparatus 210 viathe communication processing unit 501.

As described above, by using the window layout and the window operationmethod described with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, a user caneasily edit an image and generate play list data by using the imagephotographing apparatus. The above-described embodiment of the inventionis only illustrative, and the play list data may be generated by othermethods.

In the embodiment, although the effect and transition usable duringediting are preset at the image photographing apparatus, the imagephotographing apparatus may acquire the usable effect list from theserver and display it. Although the image effect includes only effectand transition, other editing functions may be added such as textsetting and trimming.

Also in this embodiment, although the application for play list editingis possessed by the image photographing apparatus itself, otherconfigurations may be adopted. For example, the server may be a Webapplication server, and the image photographing apparatus (client) maybe a mere Web terminal, to thereby execute a Web application.

With the above-described configuration, an image editing process and aprocess of reproducing and displaying edition results can be performedeven by an image recording system in which photographed image data isautomatically transferred to the server and the image data is not leftin the digital camera itself.

Since the actual image editing is performed by the server, the client isrequired only to generate the play list. The client is not thereforerequired to have a high performance. Further, during the image editingprocess, the image data is not actually exchanged so that the networkload is very small.

In the above-described embodiment, the server generates the thumbnailimage data. The invention is not limited only to this, but the imagephotographing apparatus may generate the thumbnail image data and onlythis data is recorded in the recording medium M. In this case, therecording and reproducing unit generates the thumbnail image data andthe system controller generates identification data (ID) for identifyingthe image data, reproducing time information and the like and storesthem with reference to the thumbnail image data.

During the reproduction, the thumbnail image data recorded in therecording medium M is reproduced and the display picture reproducingunit generates a thumbnail image list.

A user selects a desired thumbnail image from the thumbnail list, andthe system controller transmits the reproduction start command for theimage data corresponding to the identification data of the selectedthumbnail image, to the server.

Also during editing, the window such as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C isgenerated and displayed by using the thumbnail image data recorded inthe recording medium M. The image photographing apparatus 210 maygenerate the thumbnail image data of the generated play list.

The invention is applicable to a system having a plurality ofapparatuses such as a host computer, an interface apparatus, a readerand a printer or to a single apparatus (e.g., a copier, a facsimile orthe like).

The objects of the invention can be achieved by supplying a storagemedium storing software program codes realizing the function of theembodiment described above to a system or apparatus and making acomputer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus read and execute theprogram code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the software program codes themselves read from thestorage medium realize the embodiment function. Therefore, the programcodes themselves and the storage medium storing the program codesconstitute the present invention.

The storage medium for supplying such program codes may be a ROM, aflexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto optical disk, aCD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, and thelike.

The invention also includes the case wherein not only the computerexecutes the read program to realize the embodiment function but also anOS (operating system) or the like running on a computer executes aportion or the whole of the actual process to realize the embodimentfunction.

The invention also includes the case wherein the functions of theembodiment are realized by writing the program codes read from thestorage medium into a memory of a function expansion board inserted intoa computer or of a function expansion unit connected to the computer,and thereafter by making a CPU of the function expansion board orfunction expansion unit execute a portion or the whole of actualprocesses Many widely different embodiments of the present invention maybe constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention. It should be understood that the present invention isnot limited to the specific embodiments described in the specification,except as defined in the appended claims.

1. An image processing system comprising a server and an imagingapparatus, wherein the imaging apparatus comprises: an imaging unitconfigured to photograph one or more objects and to generate a pluralityof image data; a communication unit configured to communicate with theserver; a control unit configured to control the communication unit totransmit to the server the plurality of image data generated by theimaging unit, and to control the communication unit to receive from theserver a plurality of thumbnail image data corresponding to theplurality of image data transmitted to and stored in the server; aninstruction unit configured to select thumbnail image data from amongthe plurality of thumbnail image data received by the communication unitand to issue a reproduction instruction to reproduce the image datacorresponding to the selected thumbnail image data, wherein the controlunit controls the communication unit to transmit to the server areproduction request of the image data corresponding to the selectedthumbnail image data in accordance with the reproduction instructionissued by the instruction unit; and an editing unit configured to changea reproduction order of the plurality of image data generated by theimaging unit and stored in the server using the plurality of thumbnailimage data received by the communication unit and to generate play listdata which is different from the reproduction request and indicates thereproduction order of the plurality of image data, wherein the controlunit controls the communication unit to transmit to the server the playlist data generated by the editing unit to enable the server toreproduce the plurality of image data in accordance with thereproduction order indicated by the play list data, and the servercomprises: a transceiver unit configured to communicate with the imagingapparatus, a storage unit configured to store the plurality of imagedata and the play list data transmitted from the imaging apparatus andreceived by the transceiver unit, a generation unit configured togenerate the plurality of thumbnail image data for editing the pluralityof image data stored in the storage unit, and a reproduction unitconfigured to reproduce from the storage unit the image datacorresponding to the selected thumbnail image data in accordance withthe reproduction request of the image data corresponding to the selectedthumbnail image data transmitted from the imaging apparatus and receivedby the transceiver unit, the reproduction unit reproducing the pluralityof image data from the storage unit in accordance with the reproductionorder indicated by the play list data stored in the storage unit.
 2. Animaging apparatus comprising: an imaging unit configured to photographone or more objects and to generate a plurality of image data; acommunication unit configured to communicate with a server; a controlunit configured to control the communication unit to transmit to theserver the plurality of image data generated by the imaging unit, and tocontrol the communication unit to receive from the server a plurality ofthumbnail image data corresponding to the plurality of image datatransmitted to and stored in the server; an instruction unit configuredto select thumbnail image data from among the plurality of thumbnailimage data received by the communication unit and to issue areproduction instruction to reproduce the image data corresponding tothe selected thumbnail image data, wherein the control unit controls thecommunication unit to transmit to the server a reproduction request ofthe image data corresponding to the selected thumbnail image data inaccordance with the reproduction instruction issued by the instructionunit; and an editing unit configured to change a reproduction order ofthe plurality of image data generated by the imaging unit and stored inthe server using the plurality of thumbnail image data received by thecommunication unit, and to generate play list data which is differentfrom the reproduction request and indicates the reproduction order ofthe plurality of image data, wherein the control unit controls thecommunication unit to transmit to the server the play list datagenerated by the editing unit to enable the server to reproduce theplurality of image data in accordance with the reproduction orderindicated by the play list data.
 3. An imaging apparatus according toclaim 2, further comprising: a display unit configured to display anediting window for editing the plurality of image data by using thethumbnail image data, the editing unit changing the reproduction orderof the plurality of image data by using the editing window displayed bythe display unit.
 4. An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe control unit controls the communication unit to receive thethumbnail image data in accordance with an instruction of an editingmode where the editing unit edits the plurality of image data.
 5. Animaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the editing unit adds animage effect to the image data stored in the server and generates theplay list data indicating the image effect added to the image data. 6.An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: arecording unit configured to record the image data generated by theimaging unit in a recording medium, wherein the control unit controlsthe recording unit to record the image data, if the communication unitcannot transmit the image data to the server.
 7. An imaging apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls thecommunication unit to receive the plurality of image data reproduced bythe server in accordance with the reproduction order indicated by theplay list data.
 8. An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe communication unit communicates with the server by wirelesscommunications.
 9. An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe control unit controls the communication unit to receive the selectedimage data that the server transmits in accordance with the reproductionrequest.
 10. An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, if areproduction instruction to reproduce the play list data is issued bythe instruction unit, the control unit controls the communication unitto transmit to the server a reproduction request of the plurality ofimage data indicated by the play list data.
 11. An imaging apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein the communication unit receives thethumbnail image data of the play list data from the server, and whereinthe instruction unit selects the thumbnail image data of the play listdata to issue the reproduction instruction of the play list data.